Janice Chalmers

What do the leading employer, brand marketer and HR consultant have to say about who should own employer branding? Three experts offer their insights on ownership and how to add more brand value

Steve Harvey, director of people, profits and culture, Microsoft UK, winner of 'The Best UK Company to Work For' award

Who has, or should have ownership of employer branding?
At Microsoft HR ultimately owns employer branding, and it is 100% critical that HR lead on this. Why? To ensure that the employees you spend so much time hiring, developing and focusing on are engaged in where the company is going. We have a 'head of great company' whose role it is to ensure that we remain the employer of choice in the IT sector. A large part of this is ensuring that the external brand matches our internal values, and that life at Microsoft is really as good as the press it receives.

Where do you think HR managers go wrong in their approach to their employer branding?
Quite simply, in two areas. Firstly, not having a match between the external brand and the internal brand values (it is critical that, whenever you touch the company, you get the same experience). Secondly, by not ensuring that all communications and recruitment campaigns are on brand. We have a very close relationship with our brand expert in marketing (ie one person in the marketing team who works specifically for HR, and who acts as our conscience on brand), and every piece of literature we produce is on brand.

What part does online recruitment play in your employer branding?
A very important part. We receive around 2000 applications every month through our online work.

The brand marketer
Ian Buckingham, Interbrand Inside practice

Who has, or should have ownership of employer branding?
Responsibility for ensuring that employees are engaged in brand in a way that enables them to deliver on the external brand promises of the organisation should rest with the board, and ultimately the CEO.

"It is therefore vital that organisations ensure that their brand, culture, beliefs and values are explicitly represented via this medium if they are to attract individuals with the personal values most in tune with those of the organisation."

Where do you think HR managers go wrong in their approach to their employer branding?
The biggest challenge facing employer branding as a concept is the need to ensure that the board recognise the business case and make the link between brand valuation, brand equity and the role of employees as 'a custodian of your external brand'. But... the HR community has, more through circumstance than design, become synonymous with downsizing, tick-box processing and cost. - witnessed by the fact that much of their budgets are discretionary - contrast this with their external-facing colleagues in marketing, sales etc.

What part should online recruitment play in employer branding?
As online recruitment becomes an increasingly important route to the employment market, its significance as a communication channel increases. It is therefore vital that organisations ensure that their brand, culture, beliefs and values are explicitly represented via this medium if they are to attract individuals with the personal values most in tune with those of the organisation. Get this right, and you stand a greater chance of achieving return on investment - be that investment, internal or external. Get this wrong, and external spend in isolation will actually damage your brand.

The HR consultant
Simon Barrow, chairman, People in Business

Who has, or should have ownership of employer branding?
HR must have ownership, with marketing acting in a supporting role, because it's not about products, it's about people. You cannot spin your way to an employer brand.

Where do you think HR managers go wrong in their approach to their employer branding?
They fail to get sufficient total commitment from senior management, and it doesn't work unless they do. Also, if employer branding is seen as simply a HR idea, it won't gain the support it needs. It needs to be presented as a corporate idea. Employer Branding is a strategic issue, and therefore requires strategic management across all its elements.

What part should online recruitment play in employer branding?
You don't create an employer brand from recruitment advertising alone. Communication is simply the servant of the brand. There are 12 key elements or components of employer brand, of which communication is one. But there should certainly be 100% coherence between on and offline employer branding.

What issues do you need to be aware of when building your employer brand? Click here to find out.